DISCLAIMER:
Any posted Notice of Disciplinary Charges, Conviction Transmittal or other initiating document,
contains only allegations of professional misconduct. The attorney is presumed to be
innocent of any misconduct warranting discipline until the charges have been proven.

California Bar Journal Discipline Summaries

Summaries from the California Bar Journal are based on discipline orders but are not the official records. Not all discipline actions have associated CBJ summaries. Copies of official attorney discipline records are available upon request.

August 18, 2012

JAY MICHAEL TENENBAUM, 53, of Irvine was disbarred Aug. 18, 2012, and was ordered to comply with rule 9.20 of the California Rules of Court.

Tenenbaum stipulated that despite his suspension on June 4, 2011, he has continued to practice law in numerous matters. He submitted a declaration to the State Bar Court that claimed he had notified opposing counsel in all matters of his suspension. In fact, he had not done so and was “grossly negligent” in filing a false declaration. He stipulated that his actions amounted to moral turpitude.

According to the stipulation, Tenenbaum’s “widespread misconduct, which began at the start of his three year disciplinary suspension, warrants his disbarment.”

The 2011 suspension was the result of Tenenbaum’s stipulation to misconduct in 16 cases, virtually all involving failures to properly maintain or pay out client funds. He also admitted he failed to obey court-ordered sanctions. He agreed to make restitution, including principal plus 10 percent interest per year, to 34 individuals or companies, totaling more than $90,000.

In mitigation, he cooperated with the bar’s investigation.

June 4, 2011

JAY MICHAEL TENENBAUM [#134221], 52, of Irvine was suspended for five years, stayed, placed on five years of probation with an actual three-year suspension and until he proves his rehabilitation, and he was ordered to take the MPRE and comply with rule 9.20 of the California Rules of Court. The order took effect June 4, 2011.

Tenenbaum and his wife, Linda Seals, operated a law firm from 1990-2008. Her husband was the managing partner with primary responsibility for overseeing the administrative side of the firm and the books. Things went smoothly until 2007, when Seals became debilitated by Hepatitis C - she was unable to work and Tenenbaum took over her cases. The couple invested $525,000 of their money to cover unexplained shortfalls before closing the practice in 2008, when they discovered their bookkeeper’s misuse of client funds.

Tenenbaum stipulated to misconduct in 16 cases, virtually all involving failures to properly maintain client funds or promptly pay out client funds. He also admitted he failed to obey court-ordered sanctions. He agreed to make restitution, including principal plus 10 percent interest per year, to 34 individuals or companies, totaling more than $90,000.

In mitigation, Tenenbaum cooperated with the bar’s investigation and took steps to resolve disputes with clients whose funds were taken, the firm had serious financial problems and his wife had serious physical problems. The misconduct was the result of an office manager/bookkeeper taking law firm funds.